Ice cream is awesome but if you haven’t tried homemade recipes yet, you don’t know what you’re missing!

And it’s even better when it’s homemade with high-quality dairy (or alternatives), fresh fruit, your favorite chocolates, nuts, and other goodies, and even more unusual inclusions like herbs.

A good ice cream maker is necessary for the most homemade ice cream recipes but isn’t a must for at least a few of the churn-free recipes on this list. It’s even possible to make a tasty two-ingredient ice cream out of only milk and bananas!

Enjoy!

Salted Double Chocolate Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of Oh Ladycakes

This ice cream is so rich and chocolatey, you’ll hardly be concerned that it’s dairy-free.

In fact, the almond milk helps reduce the calories, which just makes room for even more chocolate. It starts with melting dark chocolate into almond milk in a saucepan. Dates and coconut cream get blended in, and after the base cools down, both cacao nibs and dark chocolate chunks get mixed in.

Serves 6 / Makes 1 1/2 quarts

Ingredients

5 oz. good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped and divided

2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated and cream scraped off the top

Toasted Almond Cherry Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of One Sweet Mess

For the best taste of summer, use plump and juicy cherries to make this ice cream – the darker the better.

The ripe cherries, which get cooked down into a thick syrup, will play off the nutty toasted almonds. And if you want to go for a Ben & Jerry’s vibe, feel free to stir in some chunks of dark chocolate.

Chocolate, Pretzel & Marshmallow Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of Cooking and Beer

Like rocky road? Then you’ll want to dig right into this chocolate ice cream, especially if you decide to add nuts. But since there’s Nutella swirled right in, you don’t need to bother adjusting the recipe to indulge in nutty flavor.

This flavor also pairs well with beer, such as a rich imperial stout or sophisticated porter.

Mint Cookies & Cream Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of Baked by Rachel

Mint plus cookies and cream equals an ice cream that’s more than the sum of its two parts.

And to enhance it even more, it’s best to make the mint ice cream green. You can leave the food coloring out altogether, and the result will taste just the same. But it’s more enjoyable with the green – which can also be had with a homemade green coloring made with spinach.

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches

The outside layers are traditional peanut butter cookies, criss-crossed tops and all. But perhaps the best part is that the amazing banana ice cream in the middle doesn’t require any gadgetry. Cashews help it get thick and creamy as the sandwiches chill in the freezer.

Coffee Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of Earthy Delights

Can you make ice cream with low-calorie almond milk?

In this recipe, it adds flavor and cuts some of the heft from the heavy cream. Nope, this one isn’t dairy-free but offers the best of both, creating a coffee ice cream that tastes like a frozen almond latte. And on a hot summer day, nobody would blame you for having this with breakfast instead of a steaming mug of freshly brewed coffee.

Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Picture courtesy of Top with Cinnamon

If you’ve sworn off cookies – whether it’s the gluten or just your inability to stop at one – these unique ice cream sandwiches will be your saving grace.

Instead of cookies, they use crisp meringue shells to contain the lemon curd and vanilla ice cream. As long as you have a stand mixer or enough arm strength, it’s easy to make. Just beware of baking meringue on a hot and humid day.

Cardamom Pistachio Ice Cream Pie

Picture courtesy of Yunhee Kim

In India, a frozen dessert similar to ice cream, called kulfi, is often made with pistachios. And like a lot of South Asian cuisine, kulfi is also loaded with spice – in this case cardamom – along with fragrant rose water

As a tribute to the Indian dessert, pistachio ice cream gets combined with flaky pie crust and then dusted with bright green pistachio.

Olive Oil Gelato

Picture courtesy of Saveur

Rich can’t even describe this gelato, which will turn high-quality olive oil into an unbelievable dessert.

It sounds a bit odd if you haven’t tried it, so just think of the awesome flavor of buttery ice cream. It has a slightly different savory note – a bit grassy – but the exact flavor will depend on the extra-virgin olive oil you choose.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of Chocolate-Covered Katie

This ice cream doesn’t sacrifice flavor even though there’s no added sugar (or, if you choose, minimal added sugar).

With peanut butter and almond milk as the base, it has lots of flavor. You can also mix in chocolate chips if you aren’t worried about making this so low in calories. And optional toppings include crushed peanuts and chocolate syrup.

Black Sesame Mochi Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of Lady and Pups

Japanese mochi can refer to the chewy, individually sized ice cream balls. Those make a great way to keep track of how much dessert you’re consuming, but the word mochi actually refers to the sweet rice flour. It’s to make the mochi shell and is also the special ingredient that makes this ice cream extra thick and a little chewy.

In fact it’s too much for an electric ice cream machine to handle and must be churned manually.

Red Bean Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of The Cookie Writer

Since adzuki red beans are naturally very sweet, they’re actually better enjoyed in a dessert than a main dish.

It’s not like you can’t add them to a soup or salad, but that won’t reveal their real depth of flavor. In an ice cream, the red beans are able to stand alone and show off. They also add a bit of protein, iron, and magnesium to the mix.

Peach Bourbon Ice Cream Sandwiches

Picture courtesy of Edible Perspective

Pack the best summer flavors of the South into an ice cream sandwich. Gluten-free lemon cornbread cookies are on the outside, and fresh peach ice cream is on the inside. And if that’s not enough, there’s a generous splash of bourbon to take things to the next level.

The recipe calls for full-fat coconut milk, which makes an awesome vegan ice cream, but you can use heavy cream if you aren’t concerned about enjoyed this treat dairy-free.

No-Churn Coconut Mango Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of ifoodreal

It takes just five minutes to mix up this easy homemade ice cream in a blender or food processor.

Then, of course, you have to wait for it to firm up in the freezer for about three hours, and after that it thaws for a bit before reaching the perfect consistency. But as long as you can be patient, this vegan ice cream will take no effort at all.

Banana Split Ice Cream Pie in a Jar

Picture courtesy of Around My Family Table

You can take these banana splits to-go, although you’d better bring them to the picnic or party in a cooler. But this is also a great way to store your homemade ice cream for later, and the prepacked pint jars ensure you’re having as much whole fruit as ice cream.

For a vegan version, choose any dairy-free ice cream, plus an alternative like soy whipped topping or coconut whipped cream.

DIY Waffle Cones

Picture courtesy of Design Love Fest

When you make homemade ice cream, there’s nothing to complement it quite like fresh waffle cones. You can use a standard waffle maker, although a shallow circular model is best for making them super crispy and thin.

And you don’t just have to use waffle cones for ice cream. They can be an edible serving dish for fresh fruit, salad, and fried chicken.

No-Churn Cookie Butter Ice Cream

Picture courtesy of Keep it Sweet Desserts

Can’t decide between cookies and ice cream? Then you’ll love this flavor, just like Belgian spiced butter cookies called speculoos.

Chances are you recognize them as the Biscoff biscuits that are handed out on airplanes, but you can their website to look for a nearby retailer like Cost Plus World Market. Speculoos cookies and cookie butter are also sold by Trader Joe’s.

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